A Few Tips for Wheelchair Users

Scald Protector
You definitely need to consider having a scald protector installed
in your shower if your sensory perception isn't intact. You can get
one at your local hardware store or purchase one online. If you rent,
approach your landlord about making this an accommodation to your
apartment.

Phone Developments
You may want to program your frequently-used numbers into your
portable phone so you can call your family, friends, doctor,
druggist, etc., with just one touch of a button. Telecommunications
companies are working to improve the communication process for those
with disabilities - even though voice activated phones still don't
work well. Read about the latest developments online at the Accesslife site.

Love That Shower
One of the pleasures of life is a good hot shower. You might
want to look around at your options for the right equipment.
Many people use a hand-held shower nozzle. If you do, purchase a
slide bar accessory that you can mount it to. This allows for easy
adjustment to any height. Make sure that the nozzle has a clamp attached
to allow you to make both the height and the direction stable and to
point the water stream squarely where you want it.

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Avoiding Spills
If you're catheterized and use a urine drainage bag at night, get
in the habit of setting the bag inside of a bucket. This will come
in handy if your attendant forgets to close the clamp on the bag.
Using the bucket will also help to avoid spills.

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Attach Your Cell Phone To Your Wheelchair
Having a cell phone is almost a necessity for people who have
mobility related disabilities. If you don't have one, you should
consider the very affordable rates and "safety plans" that cell
phone companies offer. These plans offer very low monthly rates and
higher per-minute charges, and are tailored for people who would
rarely use their cell phone but need it in case of an emergency. The
important aspect of this tip, however, is to remember to always have
it with you, not in the next room on the desk. If a wire on your power
chair fizzles out while you're in the kitchen, and your cell phone is
in the bedroom, it isn't serving its purpose. Figure out a way to mount
it to your chair and you'll ensure that you always have it when you need it.

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A Place For Everything
If your disability is mobility related, keeping things
consistently within reach can be a problem, particularly if
you live with other people. Non-disabled people move things
around without thinking about how putting that juice on the
top shelf in the refrigerator, or throwing that remote control
in the center of the bed will affect your ability to reach it.
The more people you live with, the better you already know that
one simple move of something that belongs to you can create major
inconveniences for you when nobody is around to help you. My policy
in my house: If it's mine, keep your hands off, or put it back
exactly where you found it... exactly. If it's ours, please put it
back where we can all reach it. Make sure that everything you need
to get to will always be within reach.

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Be Prepared When Nature Calls
It is a great idea to keep a urinal in your vehicle - or
even in a bag on your wheelchair - at all times. Sometimes,
accessible bathrooms are hard to find and it seems like they're
never around when you need them. Having a urinal close by is a
great safety measure.

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Dining Etiquette
I love a good steak, but the physical process of cutting
my own meat takes away from the experience. A good idea is
to have the waiter serve the meal normally first so you can
enjoy the plate presentation. And then ask him to take it to
the kitchen for cutting. Be specific about how small you would
like the pieces cut. Don't be afraid to ask the waiter or
waitress to help you with your napkin, sugar your tea, or
anything you need to enjoy your dining experience. It should
not be the responsibility of the person you're dining with to
help you with your meal unless that is what YOU want. The restaurant
is there to serve you and accommodate your needs.

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Handy Coat Hanger
For many of us, picking things up off the ground
sometimes seems impossible. For some, the solution
is a service dog. My solution has been my three
young children! But when the kids aren't around, a
coat hanger is great for picking up dropped items.
The hanger can be folded to accommodate the object
that was dropped, and for me, it's a rare occasion
when an object can't be manipulated and recovered.

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Portable Ramp
In a perfect world, every newly constructed home
would have at least one level entrance so that we
could get our wheelchairs inside. Many advocates,
such as Eleanor Smith of "Concrete Change" in
Atlanta, are working hard to make that the law. But
until then, don't let a couple of steps stop you from
enjoying an active social life. Get a portable
wheelchair ramp. They're lightweight, they fold up into
small briefcase sized packages, and they are
affordable. Look up Portable Wheelchair Ramp on
one of the Internet search engines to find out your
options.

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Fillin' Station Blues
You pull up to the gas station only to discover there is
no full service. You blow your horn. People look at you
like you're crazy. Finally you roll your window down
and ask a complete stranger to go inside and tell the
clerk that you're in a wheelchair and need to fill your
tank. The process is a part of life for those of us who
roll and drive. One solution: get all your gas at one
place and create a secret horn code that employees
of the gas station can be trained to listen for. Another
solution: call from your cell phone. Or call from your
home as you're leaving so that the station will be
expecting you to pull up.

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Weigh Independence Against Energy
Keep in mind that being independent means making
all the decisions that impact your life. It doesn't mean
doing everything yourself. If you are in charge of your
environment, you are independent. Oftentimes we
encounter situations in which we have the physical
ability to do something, but doing so would expend a
great deal of energy. In these situations, I tend to
value my energy more than the sense of satisfaction
that I get from doing a task all by myself. Get help with
the small stuff and reserve your energy for the things
that are more important.

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Take Names, Numbers, Addresses, Witnesses
The Americans with Disabilities Act exists to protect
our civil rights. Unfortunately, many businesses and
public accommodations such as restaurants, hotels
and retailers ignore the law. If your civil rights are
being violated, pull out a pen and a notepad, take
down the name of the employee, the date and time of
day, and the names of witnesses. Voice the situation
from the business perspective and then double-check
the spelling of the employee's name. For example,
say "this video store does not have a ramp so that
people in wheelchairs can get in, and you won't bring
me the video box covers of the new releases so I can
decide which movie to rent?" Conclude your
documentation by saying " And your name is... "
Usually this documentation gets you a supervisor who
deals with the situation properly. If it doesn't get you
what's right, at least you have some information for an
attorney or a mediator.

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Free Directory Assistance
If you're chair bound, you probably qualify for some
special telephone company services. Call your local
telephone company today and tell them you use a
wheelchair. You will qualify for free directory
assistance and free call connection, and you may be
entitled to a special rate on your local phone service
based on your income. All local phone companies
have different programs, but in my area for instance, if
you are on Social Security, you qualify for a
significantly reduced monthly phone service fee.

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Home Depot or Lowes
I avoid trips to the "wheelchair shop" as much as
possible. I've found that pretty much anything that
goes wrong with my chair can be repaired by
purchasing the parts at Home Depot or Lowes and
getting someone to repair it for you. Going to a
hardware store generally saves you downtime and
money. And the folks at these retail outlets, who are
all skilled craftsmen, will often help you with the
repairs for free. Non-disabled people feel great in
doing their good deed of the day.

** However, if your repair involves a critical function of
your chair that would put you in a dangerous situation
if it malfunctioned, seek the services of a professional
durable medical equipment (DME) provider.

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Find Engineering People
Recently, while I was visiting an amusement park, a
major cord on my power chair became frayed,
rendering my chair motionless. Instead of calling it a
day, we called the engineering department at the
theme park. They performed fairly extensive surgery
on my chair and it ran like new, saving my insurance
company hundreds of dollars, and sparing me the
hassle of enduring days without independent mobility.
If you're out at a public accommodation, and your
chair breaks down, find the engineering people.
They'll likely be able to fix the problem and feel proud
that they were able to help you.

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Disability Magazines
A great way to immerse yourself in disability culture is
to subscribe to one of the national disability
magazines such as "New Mobility",
"We" or
"Accent On Living".
Much of the writing in these monthly
magazines comes from people with disabilities who
offer insight and common observations about a
variety of issues.

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Tupperware Dishes
Many people who get around the house on wheels
also have a different way of eating. If you're a
quadriplegic or if you have a disability that limits your
manual dexterity, you might want to consider eating
some of your meals out of a Tupperware storage
container. The vertical sides of these dishes allow you
to scoop up food with a fork against the container
instead of spilling it on the table.

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Seek Out Other Chair Users
I 've had muscular dystrophy all my life, and started
using a wheelchair at the age of 13. At that point in my
life, I wanted nothing to do with other people in chairs.
Even into young adulthood, I wanted to establish a fair
distance between other wheelchair users and myself,
since I felt they weren't like me. For people who
suddenly become wheelchair riders as a result of an
accident or an illness at whatever age, there is a
tendency to feel the need to differentiate yourself from
"those people" in wheelchairs.

You need to recognize that this feeling is universal
and to force yourself out of a false sense of security.
There is a great deal of knowledge, insight,
understanding, and camaraderie that comes from
associating with other rollers in all aspects of human
interaction: as co-workers, friends, or lovers. No one
outside of a chair will be able to better understand you
and your perspective on the world.

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Rail Travel From Major Cities Only
A great way to save money on travel is to take Amtrak
instead of flying. Be prepared for an isolated
experience, however, since you will be stuck in one
place for the duration of the trip. You'll have your
meals served to you at your seat or in your private
cabin, not in the meal car like everyone else.
On the plus side, you'll find Amtrak less expensive
than air travel, and you won't have to check your chair
in with your baggage, thereby avoiding all of those
hassles. But remember this word of caution: Make
sure you depart and arrive from a major city, or make
sure that when you make your reservations, you find
out whether the stops have indoor terminals. Many
train stops have no shelter from the weather nor do
they offer any kind of security for your protection.

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Secret Signal For Friends
Safety and security is important for everyone, and
particularly critical for people who use wheelchairs.
Create a special rhythm or series of doorbell rings
and give the 'code' only to people who are welcome
visitors. This is especially critical if you have a remote
controlled front door that you access from bed (or
another part of your house) to let people in. Having a
secret ring is a great idea for anyone in a wheelchair.
Most peepholes drilled in doors are out of our reach
and the holes that are lowered are often too low for us
to get any identifying information about visitors other
than their gender. Give your welcome visitors the
secret password code.

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Expect Air Travel Delays
Whenever you fly, it's always helpful to budget an extra
hour both before your flight and at your destination
because only rarely will your flight and debarkation be
a smooth process. (If your chair is damaged, you'll
have to file a claim.) Count on 20 minutes for the
airport personnel to get you off the plane. By the time
your chair is brought to you and you get properly in the
saddle, your checked baggage will be locked in the
baggage claim offices. Be prepared for those delays
and budget them in as a part of the traveling process.
Doing so will save you a lot of aggravation and ensure
that the timing of your ground transportation is set
realistically.

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Straw Power
As wheelchair users, we often need to realize that the
etiquette rules that apply to the rest of society do not
apply to us. Sometimes it takes years to finally figure
this out. For example, in restaurants, when I order a
beer, my accommodation had been to ask that it be
served in a lightweight cup instead of a heavy beer
mug. But after spending time with other wheelchair
users, I realized that there is nothing wrong with
sipping suds from a straw. That goes for wine, soda,
water or whatever you drink. Get a pack of straws and
keep them in the bag on your chair at all times.

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Personal Care On The Road
If you use a wheelchair, need personal assistant
services, and will be traveling soon, you might want to
consider hiring a temporary home health care agency
to help you instead of incurring the expense of taking
an attendant with you on the road. Services such as
Kelly Temporary usually have a two-hour daily
minimum at about $30 per hour. This is often much
less expensive than the added costs of airfare, meals,
ground transportation, and hotel accommodations for
your attendant. This might appeal to you if you need
help only a few hours in the morning or in the evening.